Endoscopes with a variable direction of view frequently have at the distal end of the endoscope shaft a swivellably housed deflecting element as part of the imaging optics in order to set the desired direction of view by means of the swivel position of the deflecting element. As, with such endoscopes, the area between the deflecting element and an optical element following the deflecting element is increased or reduced because of the swivelling of the deflecting element, undesired scattered light which impairs the quality of the imaging of the imaging optics occurs at different swivel positions with a fixed baffle.
It is known to provide a separately actuatable baffle, the position of which can be changed in order to then set the desired baffle position depending on the set swivel position. However, this leads to time delays as, after setting the desired direction of view, the baffle position must always still be tracked.